Reunion
by GrnEydDvl
Summary: Oneshot sequel to "Reincarnation". “Taicho, have you seen that Academy student? White hair, green eyes, and they say his zanpakto is an ice dragon. You don't think..." but Karin was already gone. HitsuKarin


**You asked, I responded. By popular demand, here is the reunion scene that I skipped at the end of "Reincarnation". (If you haven't read "Reincarnation" this will probably make no sense. Sorry.)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any of it's characters. I only own my own characters and ideas.**

Hitsoguchi Toushiro knew he was different. Now, most people love being different, but Toushiro wasn't one of them. Ever since he had come to Soul Society just over a year ago, he had received strange looks from people in Rukongai and more than one child had pointed to him and asked what Hitsugaya taicho was doing all the way out here.

"It's Hitsoguchi!" he screamed back, causing the children to cower in fear. So, fed up with all of them and hoping that life in Seireitei might be better, he had left 18th district and enrolled in the Shinigami Academy, where he hoped the strange references to "Hitsugaya taicho" would stop. But they hadn't. In fact, they had been worse. A very self important sensei had passed him on his first day, did a double take, then grabbed him by the shoulders and full out gaped.

"Hitsu…gaya taicho?" he asked dumbfounded. Toushiro suppressed a groan.

"It's Hitsoguchi, and, to my knowledge, I'm not a taicho," he snapped.

"So sorry," the sensei apologized quickly, but Toushiro decided to seize this golden opportunity.

"So who_ is_ this Hitsugaya taicho?" he asked, relieved that he could finally ask the question that had been bugging him for months. "Apparently, I look like him." A knowing smile spread across the sensei's face.

"Oh, you'll hear about him soon enough in history class, but he's a former taicho and a war hero. He fought the decisive battle that ended the Winter War. But he was also my pupil! Quite talented, but a bit antisocial. He clung desperately to a single girl and refused to branch out to anyone else. And yes, you do look quite a bit like him, which is strange, considering he had such unique features. Mark my words, I will not be the last person to confuse you with him."

And he wasn't. The longer Toushiro was at the Academy, and the more his raw talent became apparent, the more whispers he heard from the teachers about the "uncanny similarities." He was a prodigy, he had as much reiatsu as a taicho, and the first time they put a sword in his hands, he defeated every opponent in the dojo in about two minutes without breaking a sweat. And he was a loner. As far as they knew, no one talked to Toushiro and he in return, ignored them. But then, about six months into his education, something happened that changed their suspicions into full out belief.

oooooooooooooooo

Toushiro hated the Academy. Not that he disliked the thought of becoming a shinigami, after all, that was why he was here, or that he had no friends, Hitsoguchi Toushiro doesn't need friends, but because it was so painfully easy for him. He didn't have to study at all. It was as if, somehow, he knew this all already. He was a natural with a sword. He had never held one before, but somehow, his body seemed to know exactly what to do. Even kido, which took most people years to perfect, came as naturally to him as breathing. There was talk of him graduating early, as soon as he awakened his zanpakto. So he put all his effort into that; he wanted out of this school.

But the thing that Toushiro hated the most wasn't even the boredom. It was the déjà vu. He had never had déjà vu in 18th district, but upon coming to the Academy, he had it nearly every day. Almost every time he walked into a classroom or the dojo, he felt like he had been there before. He knew his way around subconsciously, without even trying, and was the only 1st year who never got lost. But the strangest had been the day when they had learned about the Gotei 13.

The sensei had said that they needed to know the names of all the taicho's and fukutaichos so that they wouldn't embarrass themselves if they ever happened across one of them. As always, it had been surprisingly easy for Toushiro. One glance and he knew the names as well as if he had met these people already. He even thought he could picture their faces, even though he had never seen them before.

When he came to 10th squad, his eyes lingered a bit longer as he processed the two names. 10th squad taicho, Kurosaki Karin, and 10th squad fukutaicho, Matsumoto Rangiku. They struck a chord in Toushiro's brain. He had a sudden mental image of a raven haired girl with a sarcastic smile and a large chested strawberry blond woman holding a bottle of sake. And then, suddenly, he had his most powerful sense of déjà vu yet.

_He was coated in blood from head to toe, but so was the man in front of him. His brown, wavy hair was matted to his forehead, but the smile never left his face._

_"At least it was entertaining," he said in a sickly amused voice before collapsing to the ground in a dead heap. Toushiro didn't have to check for a pulse. The man was dead._

_"I did it," he thought satisfactorily. And then he too crumpled._

_"Taicho!" rang a desperate voice, and Toushiro found himself looking into the tear-lined face of that strawberry blond woman._

_"Matsumoto," he croaked._

_"Don't speak," she ordered. "Save your strength. Help is on the way." She smiled warmly at him. "You were brilliant taicho."_

_"Matsumoto," he repeated, his voice becoming weaker by the second. "Get…get Hyourinmaru to Karin." The tears continued to stream down Matsumoto's cheeks and she shook her head._

_"No taicho," she gasped. "No I won't. Because there won't be a need. You're going to be ok!"_

_"Please," Toushiro pleaded. Matsumoto wiped her eyes, but it did nothing to stem the flow. She, and she alone, understood the implications of his words. Finally, she nodded._

_"I promise taicho."_

_"Thank you, Matsumoto," Toushiro whispered, and with the last of his strength, he smiled at her. "Thank you for everything. I'll see you soon."_

_"See you later taicho," she agreed, smiling bravely through her tears. And then he knew no more._

Toushiro shook his head.

"That is officially the weirdest thing that has ever happened to me," he announced to the empty room. But he was immediately proven wrong.

"_Toushiro_," said a cold, harsh voice inside his head. Toushiro looked around for the source of the noise, but somehow, he knew he wouldn't find it.

"_Toushiro_," the voice repeated. "_Do you remember me now?_"

ooooooooooooooooo

"It's him."

"That's not possible."

"I'm telling you, it's him! He's got the same bloody zanpakto."

"Just because it's an ice based dragon does not mean…"

"Its name is Hyournimaru." The two senseis paused and mulled over that statement for a bit. "I'm going to contact Kurosaki taicho. If anyone will know, it's her."

"Do as you like."

ooooooooooooooooo

Karin wasn't in the office when the hell butterfly came in, but surprisingly, Matsumoto was. She had fallen asleep on the couch and couldn't be bothered to move. But the hell butterfly aroused her from her sound slumber.

"Pesky little insect," she groaned. She had a hangover. What could they possibly want? But she nevertheless held out her finger for the butterfly.

"To 10th squad taicho, Kurosaki Karin. We would like to request an audience with you at the Shinigami Academy to discuss the unusual skills of one of our students. Please come at your earliest convenience." Matsumoto raised an eyebrow.

"Unusual skills…" she thought to herself. The teachers at the Shinigami Academy rarely bothered taichos with petty details like an abnormally strong student. Matsumoto had heard rumors that the Academy currently had a student who was stronger than any who has passed through its doors in its thousand year history. She had had her suspicions, but she kept them to herself, not wanting to upset her taicho if she was wrong. But the fact that the Academy had requested an audience specifically with Karin raised a red flag in Matsumoto's mind. She decided that she would check out this student for herself to see if he was actually who she thought he was.

oooooooooooooooo

"Matsumoto fukutaicho!" the sensei exclaimed. "I was expecting Kurosaki taicho…"

"I'm sure," Matsumoto said with a knowing smile, "that if this is the issue I suspect it to be, I will be more than sufficient." The sensei gulped and Matsumoto grinned inwardly. She had never really liked this man.

"Right," he said, trying to regain his composure. "Anyway, I'm sure you've heard the rumors about our star 1st year." Matsumoto nodded.

"Well," he continued, "he awakened his zanpakto yesterday. It's…it's…oh heck, it's Hyourinmaru!" he blurted out. "I know it's impossible, but there you have it. I _know_ that zanpakto, it caused me a lot of trouble back in the day. Not only is the name the same, but it's an ice dragon. It uses the same attacks…"

"Can I see him?" Matsumoto interrupted. The sensei looked like he was about to say something, but changed his mind and nodded.

"Follow me." He led her to a lecture hall, and they peaked in through the door.

"I don't want to interrupt," the sensei whispered. "But he's right there." Matsumoto didn't need the sensei's direction to pick out Toushiro. There was only one white haired person in the room. He was older now, probably in his early twenties by human standards. But there was no mistaking those eyes.

"You've grown up taicho," Matsumoto thought affectionately, trying with all her might to keep her face impassive. It wouldn't due to have a fukutaicho crying in the middle of the Academy. But her heart felt so warm. He was back.

ooooooooooooooooo

"Taicho!" Matsumoto sang cheerily as she threw open the office door.

"You're late Rangiku-san," Karin said with a smirk. "I already finished the paperwork." Matsumoto pouted.

"Oh, that's really a shame!" she said without conviction and Karin chuckled.

"Hey taicho," Matsumoto chimed. "Have you seen that Academy student? The one they're saying is taicho class after his first year?" Karin shook her head.

"I've heard rumors, but that's all. Frankly, I'm not sure I believe them."

"Well, I just saw him for the first time myself," Matsumoto continued. "Handsome young man. White hair, green eyes, and they say his zanpakto is an ice dragon. You don't think…"

But that was all Karin needed to hear. Racing around Matsumoto before she could finish, Karin shunpoed to the Shinigami Academy as fast as her legs could carry her.

"Toush," was all she could think. "You've finally come back. Oh, you are so going to catch it for dying on me!" It had been thirty years since he had died (well, clearly he had died again recently, but that wasn't really the point), and she knew that he wouldn't remember her. At least, not right away. But whereas he had been content to beat around the bush for days on end before her memory had returned, she was not. He was going to remember her today if she had to drag him down to 12th squad and force it out of him! Although, she seriously hoped she wouldn't have to resort to that.

She reached the Shinigami Academy and headed for the dojo without even thinking. That was where he had always spent his free time before, so why should this time be any different? Startled students jumped out of her way as she charged down the hall. It was rare enough for a taicho to visit the Academy, but for one to appear unannounced, without subordinates, and in a major hurry, was almost unprecedented.

Karin arrived at the dojo and flung the doors open wide. She wasn't disappointed. In the center of the room, fighting ten 6th years at once, was Toushiro. His emerald eyes and spiky white hair hadn't changed a bit. He was older, even older looking than her, and, for the first time in her life (or lives), Karin looked upon the person she loved, not trapped in body of a child, but as the man he deserved to be.

"Dang he's hot!" she thought with a grin. Toushiro swung, knocking a boy off his feet and sending him barreling into the wall next to Karin. It was then that they noticed her, and they all froze.

"Kurosaki taicho!" several of the 6th years gasped, but Karin's eyes were locked into Toushiro's, which were shaking in an uncharacteristic expression of shock. She knew what he was going through right now, and she vaguely wondered which memory he was having.

"Mind if I have a go?" she asked Toushiro, and the 6th years scampered out of the dojo as fast as their legs could carry them, leaving the empty room wide open for Toushiro and Karin.

"How's it going Toush?" she asked casually as she approached him. Toushiro gaped at her for a moment and looked like he was about to retort, before he realized that he was talking to a taicho.

"It's Hitsoguchi, Kurosaki taicho," he said as respectfully as he could. Karin burst out laughing.

"Sure it is, spoiled rich kid!" she chided. Toushiro's eyes glazed over for a second and Karin allowed him to finish his déjà vu moment before continuing.

"So what are you remembering Toush?" she asked. "Playing soccer? Raiding the Kuchiki manor? Training in this very room? Ooo, how about me dying, that was a good one!" Toushiro's mouth fell open.

"How do you…?" he asked, totally stunned.

"Know that you're remembering things when you see me?" she finished his sentence for him. "I know a lot of things about you Toush. I know that you're strong. Really strong. But any idiot could tell that by looking at you. No, you're strong emotionally, maybe too strong for your own good. You don't trust people easily, hardly at all. You have difficulty making friends. I'd be impressed if you even had any. Everyone calls you cold, like ice. Being in this place is boring for you because this is all second nature to you. You feel like you've done this before. Oh, and everyone tells you that you look like Hitsugaya taicho." Karin wished she had a camera. The look on Toushiro's face was priceless.

"Do I…know you?" he asked awkwardly, and Karin couldn't help but grin.

"In a manner of speaking." She looked at him slyly. She thought back to when she had regained her memories and decided that what worked once might work again.

"Come here spoiled rich kid," she prompted, gesturing with her finger. Toushiro glared at her and the look was so endearing and familiar that she nearly melted.

"Alright then, I'll come to you." And before Toushiro could move, Karin closed the distance between them and pressed her lips to his. Toushiro yanked himself away as if he had been burned, his face as red as a radish.

"Kurosaki taicho, I hardly think this is appropriate…"

"Quit it with the Kurosaki taicho formality!" Karin yelled, furious that the kiss hadn't worked. What had she done wrong?

"But…" Toushiro stammered, still attempting to understand what was going on.

"It's Karin alright!" she screamed. "Karin! Don't you remember?!" Toushiro paused for a moment and Karin held her breath.

"No," Toushiro shook his head. "I'm sorry but…" Karin snapped.

"How dare you?!" she shrieked, drawing Kamikaze. "You promised me! You promised me you wouldn't die! You swore on Hyourinmaru! And then you up and died you liar and left me all alone and I've been waiting and waiting for you to come back and you finally do and you can't even do me the decency of remembering me!?" Toushiro looked thunderstruck at her outburst but she didn't care. After all these years she had the love of her life finally standing in front of her and he was gaping at her like she was from outer space. She couldn't handle it.

"Blow, Kamikaze!" she cried, and without bothering to wait for Toushiro to draw his sword, she waved her fan and hit him dead on. He flew off his feet and landed in a heap on the other end of the dojo. Karin pulled her fan back, preparing for another attack, but she stopped when she saw Toushiro's reaction. He wasn't preparing to defend himself, nor was he even standing. He was clutching his head in his hands and shaking it back and forth. Karin wondered for a moment if she had overdone it in her rage, but then she realized what was happening. The same thing had happened to her once before. She sheathed her sword and approached him carefully, watching as wave after wave of memories crashed down on him all at once. Finally, he opened his eyes and glared at her.

"My, haven't we been training?" he asked bitterly. "That attack has gained quite a bit of power since the last time you hit me with it."

"Toush!" Karin exclaimed, and for some god unknown reason, she felt her eyes fill with tears.

"Look what you've done to me!" she said annoyed. "You've got me being all sentimental."

"Well, you were certainly quite eager to have me back," he teased. "At least I eased your memories out of you. You came in like a raging volcano. My head hurts."

"Oh, you really think I wanted you back that badly?" she joked, but she couldn't fight the grin that was spreading across her face. Toushiro looked at her and smiled too. He reached out to her, snaked his arms around her waist, and drew her close.

"Yes I do," he said smugly. He started to lean forwards, but Karin got there first. The rush of emotion they felt as their lips touched was almost overpowering. Time seemed to stand still as they got lost in each other's embrace, savoring the familiar touch, taste, and smell of their beloved. They pulled back and Toushiro smiled at her.

"I missed you Karin," he said gently, stroking her hair.

"No you didn't!" Karin retorted. "You can't fool me! I've done this before, remember? You didn't even know I existed until a minute ago."

"Alright, you caught me," he said amused. Suddenly, his face fell.

"I'm sorry," he said forlornly. "I'm sorry I didn't keep my promise. I left you alone for all those years, and I know what that feels like."

"You should be sorry!" Karin exclaimed, but her eyes were incredibly soft. "You'll just have to make it up to me." Toushiro smirked.

"I think that can be arranged," he said before leaning in and kissing her. Karin reached up and gripped his head in her hands, deepening the kiss as more passion than she had ever felt in her life exploded in her heart. They broke the kiss and gazed lovingly into each other's eyes. It was then that they realized. They were no longer children. This wasn't just some passing fling. This was love in its truest and purest form. A love that had withstood the tests of time and distance in a way that should have been impossible. And finally, after many, many years, Toushiro and Karin were able to express their love for each other in the way that they truly wanted.

Karin was literally swept off her feet as Toushiro picked her up and shunpoed to the 10th squad captain's quarters.

oooooooooooooooo

The next morning, a very annoyed Kiyone marched up to Karin's room.

"Karin!" she cried, banging on the door. "How dare you ditch me?! I'm coming in!" She slid the door open and was met with a sight she never in a million years expected to see. Karin was in her futon, her bare arms wrapped tightly around the exposed shoulders of a man with snow white hair. Random bits of clothing were scattered haphazardly across the room.

The couple stirred at Kiyone's outburst.

"Oi, hey Kiyone," Karin called groggily, waving at her friend. "Guess what? Toush is back!" The white haired man turned and Kiyone saw that it was indeed an older version of her old friend. Kiyone grinned like a madwoman.

"It's good to see you Hitsugaya-kun!" she chimed. "We have to catch up later. But I'll leave you two alone for now." She slipped out of the room, closing the door behind her.

The two looked at each other for a minute before Karin grabbed the pillow and wacked Toushiro in the face with it.

"Hey! What was that for?" he asked in indignation.

"For not locking the door, dim wit!"

"Sorry, but I guess I had other things on my mind last night," he replied, and Karin actually blushed.

"I like what you've done with my room," Toushiro noted, looking around. "Although I've got to say, it used to be cleaner."

"Hey!" Karin retorted. "This is _my_ room now. I'm 10th squad taicho. Go find your own room! 5th squad still needs a taicho, why don't you move in there? Hinamori would love to have you."

"Well, being 5th squad taicho would be fine," Toushiro said thoughtfully, "but what if I don't want to find my own room? You once told me how lonely you were sleeping alone."

"What exactly are you implying?" Karin asked mischievously.

"Well, if you wouldn't mind, I think I'd like to share this room with you. For nostalgia purposes you see. I'll pay rent."

"Oh you will, will you?" she said, a smile spreading uncontrollably across her face. "Mind if I have an advance payment?"

"Not at all!" Toushiro agreed before pulling the blanket up over their heads. Matsumoto, Karin decided, would be stuck with the paperwork today. She had other things to do.

**There you go! I hope this satisfied all your cravings.**


End file.
